You Will Be Mine
by BewilderedFemale
Summary: War and difficult circumstances allow for Neji to finally realize that he's been in love with Hinata, but her heart has always belonged to another. It is of no matter however, he will find a way to make her his. Very possessive Neji – Story occurs after ep. 163
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

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Love was a hindrance to the escalation of a finely tuned shinobi such as he.

War was afoot, and the future of the hidden village was uncertain even if they were able to pick up the pieces of what Pain had done. Ironic however that it was the near ruin of the hidden leaf that finally allowed him to really see what had been growing deep within himself.

The moment he realized Hinatasama was nowhere in sight when he scoured amongst the survivors, he felt the blood drain from his face, and his vision blurred. He searched for her like a madman, straining his byakugan to its limit. Despite feeling the veins around his face pulsate painfully, and blood begin to seep out through the corner of his eye; he still carried on ruthlessly. When his fellow shinobi saw him in such a state, they too helped him try to find her.

His mind raced with images of her smile, when she blushed, and even when she looked at him with pain in her eyes from something insensitive he had said or done. He could be harsh, and downright cruel at times to her.  
Cruelty blanketed over other emotions he felt for her. Despite this however, their relationship had improved over the years. He knew that she trusted him as she always came solely to him when she needed training, and sometimes even for advice on important topics she dared not discuss with others of the Hyuga clan. He was always straightforward with her, even if it was at the cost of making her feel uncomfortable at times with his blunt honesty.  
Sometimes they would quarrel because he felt that she did not dedicate enough time to honing her skills. A confrontation had occurred after he had followed her out to the village one occasion on some pretense to buy tea leaves available on that day; she was instead hiding within a nearby alcove, watching Naruto as he ate Ramen like a fool.

"So this is why you postponed our training today." He had said as he leaned against the wall with one leg propped up behind him and his arms crossed. He hid his rage behind a mask of indifference, but she knew his temper, and realized exactly what she had gotten herself into. Her entire face had reddened instantly; her old childhood antics returning as she anxiously pointed her fingers together and stuttered out jibberish.

"No need to explain, I will not have you waste my time anymore Hinatasama." And without giving her another glance, he had vanished, heading towards his secret training grounds where he pummeled nearby trees, bushes, and any other shrubbery in sight until he fell on his knees gasping for breath and punching the ground until his fists bled. He didn't understand why it had angered him so much then and how that said anger had caused him to ignore her for almost an entire month until she had come to him practically begging for forgiveness; he knew that she eventually would.  
She was nearly to the point of tears when he had roughly grabbed her by the chin and pulled her to him so close that she could feel his hot breath on her. The weight of his stare caused her own eyes to close as she gulped nervously.

"What do you want from me Hinatasama? Tell me what you want!"

"I don't… Please…" She had replied nervously.

Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he pulled her even closer to his person, feeling those overwhelming sensations that both excited and alarmed him greatly. It was then that he really saw her as a woman. He studied her beautiful porcelain skin, her long dark lashes, hair that had grown so long and silky. Hinata had grown so lovely, so rapidly that he had hardly noticed it up until that moment.

Her body was so voluptuous that it physically hurt to think about all the things he could do to her as a full grown man, to his beautiful Hinata. He had pushed her from him, turning away when he felt the ache in his body settle to his core and his male instinct want to overcome his actions. Anyone could easily walk in on them and besides, he knew she wouldn't want him; she was in love with another.

He ground his teeth together angrily as his fists balled at his sides, anger again radiating off of him because he knew that he shouldn't feel this way, least of all towards her.

"Leave me now Hinatasama, we will train tomorrow." He replied gruffly as he tried to regain composure.

"But.. but.. Niisan.."

"I said leave!" He yelled out this time.

Hinata knew that tone, and she knew better than to try and argue with him when he was in such a state. She swiftly turned away and didn't come back near his presence until the following day where she arrived for their training earlier than scheduled. An overwhelming sense of pride and possessiveness came over him when he saw her walking towards him and the words "Mine" raced throughout his mind throughout the entire length of their training. He wasn't exactly sure how he would do it, but he would find a way to make her his completely.

As he thought these things, he picked up a very faint trace of her chakra. It was so sudden that he almost clumsily tripped over his own feet, but he didn't care; she was alive, and that's all that mattered.

"Hinatasama!" He yelled as he landed abruptly next to where she lay. It was an area left completely barren by Pain. All that remained was dirt, pieces of rubble, and his lifeless Hinata in a pool of blood. The others immediately landed beside him, looking at her with shock and fearing the worst.

"We need to find a ninja medic, right now!" He cried out as he looked around anxiously, before anyone could say a word, he was off again, trying to ignore the sting in his eyes and the ache in his chest, such sentiments were pointless because she would not die! Despite the fact that he hardly ever said it to her, she was strong, she would pull through; she had to.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOooOoO

"Her injuries were quite severe but she'll pull through; you brought me here just in time." Sakura said to them as she continued to heal her.

Neji said nothing in response, he simply stood there watching, oblivious to the fact that her oversized jacket was spread wide open and exposing the sizable bounty she so carefully always tried to hide from the rest of the world. Rather, he looked at her face that was drained of color, drained of life. His eyes then flickered towards her wound that kept getting smaller and smaller by the minute; he had to hand it to Sakura, she was a good medic.

"Why would she do such a thing?" He found himself asking. He hadn't meant to say it aloud, and they all turned to look at him.

Tenten's eyes watered at she looked up at him, he really didn't get it did he? "Because…. Don't you see that she.."

But before she could finish, Lee placed his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. She gasped as she looked up at him and said nothing further because in reality, nothing needed to be said. They all knew that Hinata had always been in love with Naruto since childhood, and it really did not come as a surprise to see that she would readily give up her life for him. She was a woman that was not afraid to love with all her heart; it was after all her ninja way. Neji however did not see this quality as a strength at that particular moment, and it was then that he vowed that he would do whatever it took to change her mind about Naruto, and if she was going to love anyone, it would be him from now on.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I know I jinxed myself by saying it would only be 2 chapters. At this point I'm looking at 4-5 chapters. **

**In this story, Neji thinks he knows exactly what he's doing because as a shinobi he usually does but things aren't working out the same way when it comes to Hinata and that's when things start to get complicated.**

**Thank you all for your reviews, I honestly wasn't expecting such wonderful feedback! **

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Neji's eyes flickered towards two medical ninja's who were whispering to each other. They looked at him with utmost intrigue before finally going back to their assignments. Neji of course knew the reasons why they examined him so, no doubt judging his current actions since it was the 3rd time that day he had stopped by to check up on Hinata. Her wounds had long since healed but Hinata could not bear to see others hurt so she had graciously volunteered to help out those who were suffering from injuries. Granted, she was no medical ninja, but she did simple things like apply salves to wounds, and make teas. The medics needed all the help they could get so they let Hinata do as she pleased, and in no time started sending patients with minor injuries her way.

"Hinatasama, you are overworking yourself." He said after he had cornered her for a minute. He carefully brought out a small package from his pocket.

"I brought you rice balls and fish cakes; you need to make sure that you're getting proper nutrition."

She looked at the package and then up at him and smiled. "Neji-niisan, I am very grateful to you."

She placed her hand over his as a gesture of thanks, and gave his calloused fingers a gentle squeeze before she let go. She looked up at him and saw his cheeks tinged pink, but said nothing and quickly let go. Perhaps he was embarrassed of her public display of affection? She did not know, things were always uncertain when it came to her cousin and as of late he seemed so volatile but at the same time he was kinder to her than usual, it was so perplexing that she hardly knew what to make of it. She wondered if perhaps her father was inflicting some kind of additional stress on him that she was not made aware of, she'd have to find a way to get it out of him somehow.

"When should I come pick you up?" He asked as if nothing had happened.

"I know that you're busy Neji –nii please do not trouble yourself about coming to pick me up."

His face hardened and she quickly took a step back, she had obviously given the wrong response.

"I will come in three hours time Hinatasama. We will train afterwards as it is evident that we must harness our skills for the upcoming war. You do want to become stronger don't you?"

"H..Hai Neji-niisan, Thank you." She nodded, and it suddenly struck her that maybe he thought she wasn't spending enough time with her training.  
He was already heading out of the tent when she called him back. He turned around and before he could fully face her, he felt her arms around him.

She was so warm, so perfect, he couldn't move for several seconds as he allowed himself to be engulfed in her embrace. He felt his hands travel down her back slowly, that same desire that had wanted to take over before came back as he sniffed her hair that smelt like lavender. His hand came up, and his fingers just barely grazed the nape of her neck when a quiver traveled up his spine as he forced his eyes shut tight. It would be so easy to just take her if they were alone, it would be so easy… His eyes snapped open in shock and he suddenly pushed her away.

"People might be watching Hinatasama!" He replied gruffly.

"But… I.. I didn't.."

He turned back around and swiftly exited the tent, leaving Hinata with watery eyes and wondering what she had done wrong this time.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath when he was finally outside. He knew his control was slipping, and the truth was that he wasn't sure what to do about it. Everything needed to be calculated and precise if he was going to make her his, but she would do things that would throw the plan off entirely. Like squeezing his hand, and then hugging him, didn't she know what that did to him? How it took every ounce of his control to keep himself from slamming her against the wall and making her his completely!

He needed to take the edge off somehow, and he was running out of ideas since training to exhaustion was no longer working. He sat on a nearby log to try and think things through when he heard the grass shuffle in front of him; he stood up, already reaching for his kunai when Konohamaru and his friends jumped out at him.

"Nejisan! Just the man we were looking for!"

His eyes narrowed at the silly children. "I'm very busy right now kids."

"Heeeey, but you were just sitting down a minute ago! You didn't look very busy then!"

He sighed. "What do you kids want?"

"Well…. " Konohamaru said as he unfolded a binder. "We're going around and interviewing people about their experiences with Naruto! I'm sure you've got tons!"

"Naruto?" Neji replied. His mind suddenly pictured the smiling blonde and his lips formed into a thin line. It had to be him of course, the man who threatened to take the only woman he had ever loved away from him. She had almost died trying to protect him and it was clear that she held absolutely no hesitation to do it again. He couldn't give way to the truth of how he really felt however, so with much reluctance, he sat back down on the log and told the kids exactly what they wanted to hear. Watching them squirm with delight as they wrote everything down. He watched and felt himself grow even more distant from Hinata because as he voiced aloud all that he had done, he began to realize why she found him fascinating, and he realized what he needed to do.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

He picked her up precisely when he said he would, and she was there, waiting for him with an awkward look to her face. He nodded towards her and she took her place by his side as they walked out of the medical area. She looked up at him shyly, her cheeks already reddening as she quickly looked down towards the ground again.

"Father is making you do this isn't he?" She asked in such a low tone that he hardly heard it. He looked at her with surprise on his face, but before he could answer she continued. "The last thing I want to do is hinder you Neji-niisan. When we get home, I will talk to him about this and you won't have to follow me around everywhere I go."

"He did not force me Hinatasama, I have been doing this of my own free will." He stopped walking then to face her, she looked perplexed and it pained him to think that she honestly believed that the only reason why he would look after her is if it were only a command by the main branch.

She shook her head. "I don't understand.."

"What don't you understand Hinatasama?" He looked at her and stepped closer towards her but when she looked up at him in turn, all he saw looking back was fear and uncertainty.

"Are you ashamed to be seen with me?" He asked and harshly pulled her into his arms.

"Of course not! Sometimes I think it is you who is ashamed to be seen with me! Earlier today is a perfect example of that when I tried to hug you and you.. you.."

"It hurt you?" He asked.

Her eyes were starting to tear up, she didn't understand why he was acting this way, and she couldn't even answer him, or look up at him anymore for that matter. Her eyes were drifting towards the ground when she felt him lift her chin with his fingers. She hardly even began to register what was happening when she suddenly felt his lips descend upon hers.

It wasn't loving or gentle, but harsh and urgent, she could sense the need behind it as a low growl escaped from his lips. The world had finally turned upside down and she was caught in the middle, she didn't dare refuse him so she returned the kiss.

This was by no means her first kiss. About a year ago, she and Shino had carried on in a secret relationship. It was something that started abruptly and ended just as quickly, more for the sake of curiosity than anything else because her heart had always belonged to Naruto and when this became evident to Shino, they had parted ways amicably.

"Hinata…" He whispered in her ear as he clutched her back as if his life depended on it. The moment her lips gave way just a tad, he immediately thrust his tongue in her mouth, avidly seeking hers. His ears were roaring, and his heart raced with desire as he pulled her tightly against him. A wild instinct that Neji himself didn't know he possessed wanted to take over as he suddenly pulled away to bite down on the soft, pale area between her neck and her collarbone, knowing that it would leave a mark; his mark.

She pulled back abruptly and looked at him as if he had gone mad. She couldn't believe this was happening. She almost tripped over her own feet as she got up and hastily ran the rest of the way back to the main house. Neji watched her go, his fingers slowly moving over his lips where just seconds ago Hinata had hers. She had kissed him back, and it had been so much more than he ever thought it would be.

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Hinata arrived at the entrance of the house where Ko was standing there waiting.

"Hinatasama, welcome back; I hope that you… Are you alright Hinatasama?"

She quickly nodded, trying desperately not to draw attention to herself although she had a feeling that she was failing miserably given the look look Ko was currently giving her.

"I just.. I .. It's been a long day Ko, I'll be fine."

He didn't miss the bite mark on her neck, nor the frazzled look on her face. Had she been attacked?

"Hinatasama, if someone hurt you, then you must tell.."

"Nobody hurt me Ko!" She suddenly said with a voice he'd never expect to hear from her. And with that, she swiftly turned away.  
Ko didn't miss a beat however, as soon as she was in her room, he scoured the area in search of a stranger or someone who might seem to have ill intentions. There was nothing amiss however as he only ran into Neji who was heading towards his own house.

"Neji, you wouldn't happen to have seen anyone peculiar around the area would you?"

Neji stared at him. "Peculiar? What do you mean?"

Ko scratched his head and adjusted his headband. "I honestly can't really explain it myself, just that Hinatasama came home looking frazzled, and I well, I'm supposed to protect her you know, it was all just very odd."

"Did she say something had happened to her?" Neji asked in all the coolness and calm he could muster.

"Well no, she denied it, but you know that she is a terrible liar, and I know she was lying." Ko replied.

"Perhaps, she had simply had a rough day, you know how sometimes people can get when they're ill." Neji replied with ease. "It is good that you go out of your way to ensure her wellbeing though, I'm sure she is very grateful to you."

Ko nodded. "You're probably right Neji, I didn't think about that and I'm probably reading too much into things. Well, have a good night!" and with that Ko was gone, leaving Neji looking after him and contemplating the situation.

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He didn't follow her around or check up on her during the day. For a while Hinata thought that this might be the start of him avoiding her as he had done before when he was angry with her and if she were honest with herself; she was perfectly alright with him keeping his distance for a while. His behavior the day before was beyond anything she had ever expected from him. She just didn't understand what had gotten into him and what it all meant, and knowing Neji, she doubted if he would sit down and clue her in on the details, or pour his feelings out to her. She doubted if he himself even understood what had happened. He'd hate her now, and they'd go back to square one, bypassing all the progress they have made over the years.

She sighed as she closed her eyes; she needed a break so she got up and put the bundle of clean bandages aside to leave the tent to walk over to a quiet and solitary area. The soft breeze caressed her face in a soothing fashion, and the greenery around her was beautiful. Her moments of solitude did not last long however, as she heard the rustle of leaves and turned to find Neji standing there before her, looking as stoic as ever.

Her eyes widened and her heart began to beat so fiercely she was sure he could hear it.

She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out and she shyly put her head down and began blushing fiercely.

It was then that Neji brought out a sizable box he had been carrying and said: "I brought us something to eat Hinatasama, I hope you are free to take a break."

She looked at the box and then at him and simply nodded before she watched him take a seat on a nearby log and begin to assemble everything. Hinata was fascinated at how calm and collected he acted, as if nothing were ever amiss. He caught her staring at him but he said nothing as he handed her a bowl of white rice and chicken curry. Nothing was said between them at first and they just ate until he finally broke the silence midway through their meal.

"We will train later today, what time should I come and get you? "

She looked up at him and shrugged slightly. "Same as yesterday I suppose." The mention of yesterday brought back the memories and she felt herself unconsciously tug at the white fabric scarf she had placed around her neck that day. The days had been getting cool and since Hinata already was in the habit to try and cover up as much as she could anyway, nobody questioned it. Her actions caught his attention and before she had finished readjusting the scarf, she felt his fingers begin to pull against her.

She gasped and tried to pull away but he did not budge.  
"Neji-nii.. what are you do..?"

"I just want to see Hinatasama."

She immediately relented and closed her eyes when she felt his fingers lightly graze over the bite mark. It caused her skin to break out in goose pimples, and a small smirk appeared on his face very briefly.

"Ko saw you last night didn't he?"

She nodded in response and gulped nervously. "It would be hard for him not to Neji-niisan, father has placed his as my guard."

She felt him lean closer to her, and was slightly shocked when she saw him take a couple strands of her hair in his fingers.  
"And tell me Hinatasama, how do you feel about Ko being your guard?"

She looked up at him and shook her head. "I don't know.. I… Why are you asking this?"

"How would you feel if I were to become your guard from now on Hinatasama?"

She again shook her head. "Why would you do that? Aren't I enough of a nuisance to you as it is already?! Isn't that why you… you.."

"Shhhh." He whispered as he took her in his arms and pulled her in close, he looked into her eyes and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her but he just stared at her before he began to speak again.

"The time and energy I will be putting forth towards your development as a shinobi will bring honor to our clan since I have no doubt that when the declaration of war is final, you will be the one to lead us into battle."

"But… that hasn't been established as of yet." She replied meekly.

"It hasn't; but it will, and when that time comes Hinatasama, you must be ready. You are strong now, but you must become stronger still."

She looked into his eyes and knew that he had absolutely meant every word he had said. It was what she admired so much about him, in his own way he had just declared that he did believe in her but they could not waver, they needed to get ready, they needed much preparation. She wondered if his actions from the night before had something to do with what he was saying now although in her mind it made absolutely no sense no matter how she tried to view it. She knew better than to question it; she didn't want to push him away now after all he was willing to do for her sake.

She knew that she was probably reading too much into it, and what had occurred would probably never happen again.


	3. Chapter 3

They trained vigorously for the next few days to the point that Hinata had not gone back to help volunteer at the medical camp.

When she wasn't training with Neji, she was trying to recuperate as their sessions had become quite fierce, and would leave her bruised and exhausted. He would stick around after their sessions, something that he hardly did before and they would just talk even though she was really the one that did most of it. He'd listen and occasionally comment but she found that she liked this quality in him because when he did speak, it was usually profound and enlightening. Neji was never one for many words, and the fact that he stuck around at all was amazing to her in itself, but one day he began the conversation, and she knew that it had to be about something important.

"Your father has given his consent and I am to be your guard from now on Hinatasama. Has he made you aware of this yet?"

She looked up at him in shock for a moment; he really had gone through with it, he was purposely tying himself to her and she couldn't fathom as to why, worst of all was that she just couldn't outright ask him because not only would he be extremely offended but he'd go off on how she needs to be stronger. However, Hinata was no fool, and there was something else besides all that; she would find out though, eventually she'd get him to tell her.

"No, he hasn't, but you know my father; I'm usually the last to know about what's going on about anything."

"With me as your guard now; that will not be the case anymore. I will always notify you of anything that I am made aware of. This new arrangement also means that I will be moving to the main house."

He looked at her then to gage her reaction and found himself amused by it. Not only was she blushing profusely, but she was at a total loss for words. If only she knew how beautiful she looked, he couldn't help himself as he leaned in so close to her that their noses were almost touching.

"You will always be under my vigilance now Hinatasama." He whispered as he moved a strand of hair away from her face.

She gasped, still unable to produce a coherent sentence. "That's.. I.."

He smirked before he got up and dusted himself off. "And with that being said; I need to start moving my things."

It took her a few moments to collect her bearings as she too got up. "I'll help you."

"That will be not be necessary Hinatasama, I do not possess much so all that I will be moving is perhaps a box worth's of items."

She blinked and he was gone before she could respond.

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The following morning, Hinata and her team were summoned by the Hokage to receive rescue supplies. A relatively simple mission, if it could even really be referred to as a mission. She momentarily wondered if they would by chance happen to come across Naruto, but any hope of that quickly diminished when Shino informed them that he was currently away with Kakashi, and Captain Yamato.

They were taking a short break when Kiba asked Hinata in a very straight forward manner: "So, what's up with you and Neji spending so much time together lately? It seems like every time I see you, he's there."

Hinata gasped and her cheeks began to take on color immediately. The truth was that she herself wasn't really sure, so her mind automatically defaulted to what he had been telling her.

"With the threat of war, it is my duty to.."

"You're the one who's going to lead the Hyuga clan?" He interrupted.

"Well, technically it will fall upon me, yes; he has been helping me train. I need to become stronger if I am to take on that task."

Kiba looked over at Shino for a moment but said nothing, Hinata did not miss the exchange between them and quickly asked: "Why? Do you think I will not be able to do it?"

Shino shook his head. "We do not think that at all Hinata. Kiba and I more than anyone know how far you have come as a Shinobi, you are strong and capable, If you must know the absolute truth; we worry about what Neji's true intention might be."

Hinata smirked awkwardly at their response. "What are you saying exactly?"

"It's not really our place to say, and in reality, Kiba should not have brought up the subject at all in the first place." Shino replied simply.

"I brought it up because I'm worried she'll get hurt Shino, and I know that you're worried about her too even if you won't admit it."

Hinata narrowed her eyes at Shino, she was growing tired of these games they would sometimes play where they'd leave out information supposedly for her 'sake' and she was comfortable enough around him to be straight forward when she needed to be.

"You want to tell me what Kiba is talking about Shino?"

She heard him sigh, and knew that he had finally relented.  
"The history between you and Neji has not always been good Hinata, and while it's true that things have changed and you both have made a lot of progress; this sudden inclination of his to want to help you and be around you all the time is just.."

Hinata shook her head. "Is just what?"

"You have to admit it's not like him Hinata." Kiba responded this time. "We're worried that he might be planning something that will ultimately hurt you whether it's intentionally done or not."

Hinata shook her head. "I don't see how what you're saying makes sense. How is his helping me become stronger going to hurt me?"

"Oh come on Hinata! Open your eyes! That's what he's telling you now! He could be waiting for you to let your guard down!" Kiba all but yelled.

Hinata had heard plenty. She had enough things to worry about to add this on to the list. She swiftly turned away from them and continued with the mission, it was better to say nothing at all then to say something she would regret later. They simply didn't understand Neji, and they didn't understand the ways of the Hyuga. It's true that their history was not the best, and it's true that there were many things about Neji she did not understand, especially where it concerned her, but she simply could not imagine him capable of willfully deceiving her in such a manner as they had just described. She kept telling herself this mentally, but in the very back of her mind, the slightest nudge of doubt reared its ugly head and agreed that she should be cautious, that she should be careful to not let her guard down. She herself had been wondering what his true motives were and their mentioning this awakened her lingering doubt towards him.

The rest of the mission was on a whole uneventful. Before they all parted ways, Shino and Kiba offered their apology for what had been said and Hinata had of course assured them that nothing would come of it and she let them know that she appreciated their concern, which she did but she found that since it concerned Neji, the subject was more delicate.

The mission had only taken two days, but she was happy to be back, she was just outside of the compound when she saw Neji approaching, she smiled as she walked towards him but he did not smile in turn, and when he didn't, it was then that it dawned on her that she had not notified him that she would be leaving for a mission. Before she could even get a word out to him, he had grasped her roughly towards him.

"I had to find out from somebody else that you were sent away on a mission Hinatasama." He began; she immediately felt her cheeks redden and bowed towards him.

"I apologize Neji-niisan, this will take some getting use to since I normally wouldn't tell Ko. Father would usually inform him."

"As he informed me as well, but that is still unacceptable. I need to hear directly from you where you'll be at all times Hinatasama. Until your father finally told me, I had nearly searched the entire village for you! It may not mean much to you, but I have a busy schedule as it is, do you know how much time I spent looking for you? Do you realize how irresponsible it makes me look when I cannot follow through with my other obligations? All of this could have been avoided if you had simply let me know as soon as you had found out."

Hinata was in shock as she heard this sudden angry outburst from Neji. The unique aspect of it was that his words could wound deeper than a physical injury. Right now he was doing the very thing they had talked about some time before; he was throwing in her face that she was hindering him, and that was what struck a nerve with Hinata apart from the fact that she really thought he was overreacting and she couldn't understand why he was so angry over something that seemed so meager. All he had to do was tell her that in the future, she needed to tell him where she would be, was that really so hard?

Normally, she would begin to apologize immediately over and over, then beg his forgiveness as she had done so many other times when he had gotten upset; but the truth was that she was tired. Having argued with Kiba and Shino during the mission had been emotionally draining to say nothing about coming home to a hot-headed Neji, she knew she had done wrong but she just didn't feel like dealing with it now plain and simple.

She sighed and hung her head. "I knew this would happen; I told you that I would hinder you before and you said no, but look at you now. I'm going to do you a favor Nejinii-san, I'm going to speak to father right now about this arrangement and tell him that it's not going to work out."

She didn't even look at him to see the sudden shocked expression on his face. She freed herself from his grasp and was headed directly towards the main house when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"I didn't say that I didn't want to be your guard anymore Hinatasama!"

"Then what do you want? Do you even know? Or do you just get satisfaction every time you throw in my face that I hinder you?!"

"You cannot deny that you should notify me of your whereabouts!" He insisted.

"Would it have really been so hard to just talk to me about it calmly instead of lashing out at me?" She looked at her wrist then and tried to pull away. "Please let go of me."

But he didn't, and instead he quickly pulled her closer to him and grasped her face with his free hand. She let out a shocked gasp, and abruptly closed her eyes as if expecting him to injure her. He looked at her for several long seconds, feeling her tremble under his touch, receiving reassurance that despite it all; he still had control over her. It was only then that he finally complied and let her go. She took off running instantly and instead of heading to the main house, she headed towards her garden where she stayed for several hours.  
She yanked at the weeds angrily, letting the tears roll down her cheeks over everything that had happened. She skipped dinner and went straight to her room. She bathed and dressed for bed as she was tired from the mission and the events of the day, she was about to climb onto her bed when there was a gentle knock on her door.

Thinking that it was her sister, she opened the door without even asking who it was and was greatly startled to find Neji standing on the other side, but then she remembered that he had moved into the main house as her guard.  
He stood there just staring at her, she realized he wasn't going to ask so she stepped aside and motioned for him to come in. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then quietly slipped in and closed the door behind him.

There was nothing but awkward silence between them when he first came in and she found herself wondering if he was expecting an apology from her. She sighed as she looked up at him, mentally preparing for how she would handle the situation they were in, only to find herself shocked at how his eyes were scanning her from head to foot. It was then that she realized that she had not covered up and was only wearing her sheer sleep attire that outlined every curve of her body. Immediately here arms crossed over her chest as her eyes searched the room for her robe, she could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment, she reached out for the Lavender robe that was hanging near the closet but as she moved towards it; he approached her and blocked the path.  
His eyes looked so very different from what she was normally accustomed to seeing, it both scared and oddly enough excited her as well. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her, nobody ever beheld her in such a way, and it made her feel beautiful. It was odd coming from him though, and she didn't know how to feel about it.

"Neji nii-…" She began in a flustered whisper.

"Shhhhh" He replied softly. He stepped even closer to her, and she could hear and feel his heavy breathing ghosting over her lips.

"I… I..I'm tired N..Nejinii-san and I don't want to argue with you anymore.."

"I don't want to argue with you either Hinatasama, but you must understand why I reacted as I did. You are my responsibility. I had no way of knowing if something had happened to you, and I did think that was the case until your father told me you had gone on a mission."

She nodded and looked towards the floor. "It won't happen again, I don't like it when we argue."

He didn't say anything else. Instead; he tentatively pecked her lips, with his own and when she didn't push him away, he kissed her fully, taking her in his arms immediately and pulling her as tightly to him as he could.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Neji had no idea that kissing her like that again would feel as glorious as it did. What shocked him even more was how quickly things had escalated. One minute they were ardently kissing and the next, he had her up against the wall. The best part of all was that he knew that she liked it, she had protested at first but when he pressed himself against her, she had let out an unmistakable moan of pleasure. He was overwhelmed with the new sensations she brought out in him, but the sound of her sister approaching had caused them to stop abruptly. He was still in a fog despite knowing he needed to find a way out and luckily, Hinata had acted quickly and opened the window for him to sneak out and enter his own room again.

When he wasn't thinking about what they had been doing in her room, he thought about the day's earlier events. He would never tell her how he felt like he was about to lose his mind when he didn't know where she was, and how his anger earlier was rooted from thinking that she had not cared to inform him of her whereabouts because he wasn't worthy enough to her.

When he had watched her run towards the garden, he realized that he had gone overboard. She was after all a shinobi and he knew better than anyone that sometimes emergency missions would spring up. She probably didn't even really have time to tell him anyway, but he had taken it personally and all he could focus on was making her feel his anguish of not having her near.

It was then that he realized things were getting out of hand, that his need for her was becoming an addiction, and when that need was not met, he'd lose control. Things were not working out at all the way he had planned, she was the one that was supposed to need him, she was the one that was supposed to be falling deep…

He realized that he needed to try another approach, perhaps they needed to partake in training outside of the village. That was it, not only would he have her completely to himself, but helping her strengthen her abilities with an outing would surely allow her to appreciate him more.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sometimes, things have to worsen before they get better; this is no exception when it comes to Neji and Hinata.**

The following day, Hiashi called for a clan meeting.  
Hinata took her place at the front near her father, knowing that this meeting was regarding the inevitable war, but she herself didn't know the specifics of what topics he would touch on. She knew without a doubt that he would announce who would lead the clan, and everyone was no doubt expecting her to do it. She found herself feeling nervous and uneasy about it, she still didn't think she was strong enough to take on the task, but she knew that she'd have no choice in the matter.  
Many things were discussed, pending issues within the village, updates on the injured and increase in missions. While her father announced these things, she could feel the weight of Neji's stare upon her person. She didn't have to look up to know she was looking at her and she felt her cheeks grow warm.

It was obvious that he wanted her; his last actions when he was in her room had clearly proven so, but she just couldn't figure out why and what his precise intentions were. The odd part about it all was that she had not hated it although initially it had scared her, and if she were honest with herself; she wouldn't object to it happening again. However, the thought that he was just using her to suit his needs had crossed her mind. He never spoke about what had happened the previous times except that his presence around her was ever increasing. She thought that it might be a tactic of his to keep her under his control but she wasn't sure. In part she was glad that he didn't bring it up because knowing for sure was probably going to be a huge blow to her one way or another. At least not knowing meant that she could speculate to no end, and hopefully it would just die down with time.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she felt her father's voice shift in expression, she knew that he was about to say something extremely important.

"It is why it has been decided that Neji will be the one to lead us into the war."

Gasps were heard and talk amongst the people in the room began.

Hinata was not surprised at this declaration and she hid her insecurities behind a mask of indifference. She could feel everyone staring at her, talking about her and then looking at Neji but not once did her stare waver away from her father's face. He stared at her briefly and her eyes did not drop down. There was no hint of apology or reluctance at all.

Once the meeting was over, she swiftly made her way out of the hall and took off into the training grounds outside of the compound, but once she began kicking against the post, she realized she didn't want to train, she just wanted to run away. In all honesty, she was relieved that she had not been burdened with such a task but it was the fact that they could've chosen anyone else, and it had to have been him.

A sick feeling overtook her stomach when the thought suddenly occurred to her that Neji knew that he'd be chosen all along, and that maybe his sudden desire in wanting to be her guard and train with her more was just an effort on his part to be noticed by her father more. Then the conversation between herself and Shino and Kiba surfaced in her mind and everything became a blur. She took off running from everything. She just didn't want to have to deal with anything, at least for now. So that was what she did, she took off running into the woods, not intending to stop until she was too exhausted to go any further.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Neji saw her heading out of the compound; he was immediately going to run after her when Hiashi stepped in front of him.

"We need to discuss a few things in private."

Neji nodded and followed after him, looking behind and already seeing that Hinata's form had disappeared out of the compound. He sighed but followed behind him until they were led to his private room.

"I'll skip the formalities and get right to the point with this. Do you know why I have chosen you to be our leader?"

"Sir…" Neji began. "I am flattered and honored that you trust me enough with such an important task, but I must insist that the rightful leader is.."

Hiashi waved his hand and Neji was quickly silenced.

"Do not lecture me on the merits of my own daughter."

"But with all respect sir; she's strong. I should know, I train with her every day!"

Haishi shook his head. "It's not about her strength or her skill." He then stayed staring at Neji for a long moment and a small smirk suddenly appeared on his lips.  
"Funny that you should mention how often you train with her…"

Neji's cheeks suddenly became hot and immediately he thought of something to say that would detour the conversation, but Hiashi wouldn't have it.

"I know my Hinata, and it is because of you that she's become as strong as she is now. I don't think she even realizes it but she strives towards making you proud of her. The two of you complement each other well and yet you could become stronger still if you work in unison.

Neji was at a loss for words and all he could seem to do was nod his approval.

Hiashi nodded in turn and was about to stand up. "That's all, you may leave now."

"But sir.." Neji insisted. "I still don't understand why you didn't choose her if you just said that you deem her strong and capable."

"Because; she's too gentle." He walked towards the window of the room and looked outside to see a group of small birds gathering around a fountain. He watched as they dived and played with the water.  
"I've seen you with her, and you've led her well, I know that you'll do the same for the others when the time comes."

Nothing else was said, and as soon as Neji walked out of the private room, he headed straight for the compounds exit in search of Hinata, not knowing that Hiashi was watching him; a small smirk graced upon his lips.

It didn't take long to find her; she was sitting on the river banks edge and twirling a flower between her thumb and her pointer finger. She heard when he arrived but she didn't have to turn around to know it was him. She continued to look towards the water as she felt him move closer towards her.

"Congratulations." She said softly.

He shook his head. "You're the one that should lead us in the war."

"Don't.. It doesn't matter, the point is that we all work together."

He didn't say anything further on the subject because even though she was acting as if she were unaffected by the news, he knew that it still must have awoken her insecurities. He knew her, watched her, and could tell from the way her vision was downcast that a level of shame had befallen her, but he did not know what to do for her other than refer to what had been ingrained in him since he was a small boy, so he took his fighting stance and activated his Byakugan.

"In that case, we shall train." He said as he faced her.

It took her a few minutes but she complied with his request, and yet her heart was not in it.

"Are you fighting me seriously?" He asked when he had struck a move that had pushed her to the ground. She got up again and he repeated the same move only to watch her go down again. This time however, she didn't get up and when she made no movement, Neji deactivated the Byakugan and was by her side instantly.

"Hinatasama?"

Her eyes were open, and even though her stare was towards his direction, she wasn't really looking at him. He made to touch her face but she immediately pushed herself away from him and got up.

"If you don't mind Neji-niisan, I would like to postpone our training until tomorrow."

He looked at her, completely confused by her actions. "Did you injure yourself?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine; I just need to be alone for a while."

"Hinatasama, I cannot stress to you enough the importance of our training."

"I'm only asking for one day." She retorted.

He stood there, becoming increasingly frustrated by her actions. He could feel the adrenaline coursing through him as quickly stood before her and tried to grab her but she fought against him. He tried to pull her into his embrace but she pushed back. "Why are you fighting against me? Are you angry with me?" He demanded.

"I'm not just some.. You can't just push me around and tell me what to do all the time. I have a right to do as I please every now and then too!"

Neji shook his head. "I'm afraid that as a main branch member those rules do not apply to you."

Hinata closed her eyes and sighed.

Neji on the other hand was still feeling the sting of having been rejected and was unsympathetic to her reaction. "Crying solves nothing." He said harshly. "I have other…" He was about to say it but he quickly snapped his mouth shut when he realized it. Still, it had been enough for Hinata. Her head had shot up and immediately she retaliated. "No, go ahead and finish your sentence. Go ahead and tell me how you have other things to do and how I'm wasting your time. Because the truth of the matter is that I'm a waste of everyone's time. I promise never to waste it ever again Neji- niisan." And without another word, she took off.

Normally he would have chased after her but he was too angry. So much frustration and tension had built up within him that he threw a fist into the ground that caused the Earth to shake violently. He let out an angry cry; cursing the way things always seemed to work out for him. Why did things always have to complicate themselves, mold and twist in a way that worked to his Disadvantage? He yelled again in anger fearing that his becoming the chosen leader would be the ultimate setback in ever acquiring Hinata.

**It's a short chapter but on the bright side, there will be more than originally planned. Big thanks to those who read/review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Back from vacation, thus a new chapter!**

* * *

Neji purposely did not see Hinata for the next couple of days, although in all honesty; he knew that she was avoiding him as well.

He took solace in confining himself to his secret training grounds and pummeling anything unfortunate enough to be around him until he was exhausted. He hated that he thought about her so much, he hated that they were not speaking, and most of all; he hated that he wasn't sure what to do about it. This had been such a huge setback to any progress they had made, the thought of it made him hurt physically.  
He lay on the ground, only able to hear the sound of his own breathing. It was then that he felt his traitorous heart conspire with his mind. His eyes widened as he felt his body already carrying out what he knew he shouldn't do, but he was powerless to stop it from happening, it had been too long since he had seen her. Her porcelain skin and beautiful eyes flashed before him in the shape of memories, and he felt his body tremble with anxiety. He leapt into the air and traveled swiftly yet silently, going towards that place where he knew she'd be, and hoping to hell that seeing her would bring some kind of relief to his madness.

He perched silently against the branches of a nearby tree, and as soon as the sound of her training grunts hit his ears, his skin broke out in goose pimples. It was like hypnotism just standing there watching her. His eyes greedily soaked in every movement, every wisp of hair, down to every droplet of sweat.

At one point, she had stopped to wipe her forehead, and take a drink of water. For a moment he wondered if she had seen him, for she was looking towards his direction, but he had made no sudden movements and he was a master at stealth, so he knew it had just been a coincidence when she put down her water container and continued with her training; training that of course would be much more efficient if he had been participating. Almost too soon, she picked up her things and swiftly disappeared back into the Hyuga compound. When he knew for certain that she was out of range, he jumped down to where she had been. As he surveyed the area, a flash of yellow caught his eye. Immediately he bent over to pick it up and instantly realized that it was a note that read:

"_Reminder: Meet Shino at Roku's Takoyaki stand_"

His eyes scoured the words over and over again until he felt his hand crumble the paper. Shino? Why would she need to meet him alone? He understood if it said "Kiba and Shino" but to see his solitary name on that note caused immediate suspicion. He felt his chest constrict and his stomach drop in a manner he was not accustomed to. He didn't know why, but he seriously wanted to hit someone at that moment; preferably Shino himself. Wasn't it Naruto who she was always fawning over? Had she changed her mind? He knew without a doubt that he needed to find out what this meeting entailed.

The note didn't specify when she was to meet him, so he spent the remainder of his time, not tending to his duties or chores, but following her around and it wasn't until the following day in the evening when she finally headed towards town and met up with him.  
Neji watched carefully to see what would happen when they first approached each other. She graced Shino with her beautiful smile, but nothing else transpired; he was relieved for this.

They seemed to be talking a great deal; the cook at one point passed them both a dish filled with fried squid fritters and a pot of tea. They ate, they drank, and Neji was already beginning to tire of watching them do the same thing repeatedly until he saw her begin to stand. He watched her dip her hand into the pocket of her pants; a gesture to pull out what he figured would be her half of the tab, only to see Shino quickly dodge her attempt and hand the cook the full amount. They prattled back and forth some more and just when Neji was getting ready to follow her back into the compound; she did something that he had not expected. He watched as she suddenly turned and planted a kiss on Shino's cheek, she whispered something in his ear and then finally made her way back towards the compound. Neji was unable to move and apparently neither was Shino for a full five minutes.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

_At the Takoyaki stand_

"I was surprised by your note." Shino said after they sat down at the booth.

"Why should you be? After all is said and done Shino, I consider you a great friend, and I trust your judgment."

"You flatter me Hinata."

She smiled. "I mean it."

"This doesn't have to do with Naruto does it?" Shino asked, cutting straight to the chase.

Hinata shook her head. "No, it's about Neji."

Shino's brows shot up. "Neji? What about him? Is he giving your trouble again? I knew it would happen eventually Hinata, didn't Kiba and I tell you?"

"Now wait just a minute Shino; it's not what you think, and I didn't ask to meet up so you can lecture me. Please hear what I have to say first."

"Please enlighten me Hinata." He said sternly.

She sighed and looked away, wondering if maybe doing this was a bad idea. She purposely didn't mention that Neji had been placed as the Hyuga leader in battle, and she most definitely wasn't going to tell him about the things they had done while alone. Now that she thought about it; she wasn't really sure what she should say but she knew she needed to confide some of what was going on to someone.

"Neji has been following me around." She finally let out.

Shino took a while to respond. "That's all?"

Hinata nodded. "We kinda argued, and now we're not speaking but he's following me around."

"What did you argue about?"

Hinata felt herself blushing but she knew that she couldn't tell him everything. "We had been training vigorously day and night, it always revolves around his schedule, when he wants, and I got sick of it one day. I wasn't feeling up to training that day and we argued, and now he's following me around."

Shino sighed. "Geez Hinata, does his stalking you really come as a surprise?"

"Whoa, wait, what does that mean?" She asked.

Shino shook his head. "Go talk to him, tell him you know that he's been following you and make him tell you what he wants."

Hinata's blush grew further as she shook her head. "I can't do that."

"Of course you can." Shino insisted. "It's the only way you'll get the answer you seek. Don't you see this is a tactic of his to gain control over you? What else has he done?" Shino insisted.

Hinata waved her hands in front of him. "Nothing, nothing at all, he's just following me around, that's all."

Shino stared at her for a long moment before taking a sip of his tea.

"Go do what I said Hinata, you're going to have to face him head on; it's the only way when it comes to guys like Neji. Be forceful, and ask him what his deal is, don't back down until he tells you."

Hinata made a slight bowing gesture towards him. "You don't know how much your advice means to me Shino." She said as she was getting up to pay. He dodged it though and instead paid for the bill.

"I've got this one Hinata, please allow me."

She smiled and found herself leaning forward and leaving a soft kiss on his cheek. A demonstration of the affection that she had for him as a friend, and confidant. She had already known even before meeting with Shino what she needed to do, but hearing it aloud and from him only strengthened her resolve.  
She needed to face Neji and get to the bottom of what he was doing; she needed answers.

Shino watched in awe as she walked away. Feelings of disappointment tinged his being as he had considered it a possibility that she might have wanted to rekindle what they once had, but one look at her and hearing the way she explained her current situation made him suddenly realize that apparently he was not the only one that had feelings for her. He knew Hinata well and given her reaction and vague explanation made him wonder if maybe his previous observations towards Neji had been incorrect.

It was obvious that whatever was going on was affecting Hinata on an emotional level and she didn't deserve that, least of all from Neji.

Something might need to be done; he would not allow Neji to hurt her.


End file.
